Nail polish applicator



Jan. 4, 1938.

c. c. HOFFMAN. JR

NAIL POLISH APPLICATOR Filed June 50, 1936 FIG. 5.

Barl ll. ficl fl ma l f j? 41 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 4, 1938 2,104,651 NAIL rousn 'APPLICATOR Carl C. Hoflman, In, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Carl C. Hoflman, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application June 30, 1936, Serial No. 88,253

6 Claims. '(oi. 132-73) This invention elates to reservoir-carrying applicators, and more particularly to an applicator adapted to carry a relatively viscous liquid and deposit the same upon a brush or the like in a position ready for application.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a hand applicator, particularly adapted for a sticky, somewhat thick, rapidly drying liquid, carried in a housing forming a portion of the applicator, and ejected from the housing, when required, upon a suitable applying surface.

Another object is to provide such an applicator, whereby the flow of liquid may be regulated.

Still another object is to provide such an appli- 1 cator, whereby the volume of fluid ejected may be easily controlled and the fluid applied to a relatively small surface, the confines of which surface may be variously curved.

Another object is to provide an applicator, as

set out, whereby manipulation of the applicator will tend to prevent thickening of the rapidly drying viscous liquid contained in the reservoir.

Yet another object is to provide an applicator, as described, which will be low in cost of manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a. part of this specification'and in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the novel applicator.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section of the liquid-applying end of the applicator.

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation of the fragment shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view showing the novel applicator in use.

Figure 5 is a section of a cap suitablefor the applicator.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding'parts throughout the several views, the letter A may designate the novel applicator, B a cap therefor and 0 liquid carried by the applicator A.

The applicator A preferably includes a tubular portion iii, of rigid material such as metal, hard rubber, glass or the like. This tubular portion iii has a closed end ii, is open at its other end i2 and may be provided, adjacent this end i2, with a shoulder i3 by slightly restricting the circumference of the tubular portion Iii at the end i2.

Closing this end i2 is a suitable hollow cap or closure portion i4, 01' flexible material, such "as soft rubber, this cap having a side wall l5 ofa length so that, when it is disposed with a portion snugly embracing the end i2 of the tubular por- 5 tion ill and with its extremity i6 abutting the shoulder iii, the cap portion i l will extend an appreciable distance beyond the open end I2 of the tubular portion it. By an appreciable distance is meant at least a distance as great as 10 the width of the ball portion of a thumb andthis distance may be greater altho, for the purpose of proper manipulation of the applicator, the distance is preferably not over one and one-half inches. r

The cap portion i6 is provided with an end wall 87, having a restricted opening or outlet i8, preferably spaced from the longitudinal axis of the cap portion M. This opening may be a perforation or a slit. Extending inwardly from 20 substantially'the longitudinal axis of the cap portion it is a recess is, the wall 28 of which preferably comprises the same material as that of the rest of the cap portion M. This wall 20 provides a thimble which extends inwardly of the 25 cap portion, as is wellshown in Figure 2, and with said wall 20 spaced substantially an equal distance from the side wall is of the cap portion Ii. The mouth of the recess opens, as is apparem, exteriorly of the cap portion id. 30

ly toward the longitudinal axis of the cap por tion it.

As a means to apply the liquid employed, it is preferred to make use of a suitable number of bunched together bristles or hairs 22 of suitable 45 material, so that a flexible portion may be provided. The bristles 22 preferably are held in their bunched together position and gripped by a rigid portion 23, which may be a tube of suitable material, such as a short quill, disposed 50 snugly within the recess is, with the flexible portion, 1. e., the bristles 22, projecting outwardly, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

With the cap portion id in place, as shown in Figure 1, there is provided a slim or elongated 55 extend about the flexible extremity of the hollowi body portion just described, and a bristle-receive ing portion 28, adapted to receive and extend about the bristles 22. 4 As has been stated, the applicator is particularly adapted to carry and discharge arelatively viscous liquid, such as conventional liquid nail polish. This may be introduced by removing the cap portion l4 and fllling the reservoir 21, thenreplacing the cap portion ll. Such liquid, shown as C, while it will flow, requires care in its application since it is generally sticky but dries quite rapidly and must be applied so that the coating is not too thick. Since the area coated (the nails) is irregular in outline and restricted, the problems mentionedin applying the polish are not the ordinary problems encountered in applying paints to surfaces in general, water to surfaces to be cleaned, nor liquid free of viscous characteristics to surfaces in general. In order to employ such viscous liquids as nail polish, it is preferred that the greater portion of the wall of the reservoir should be rigid, not only because the liquid is heavy but also so that the wall will not become distorted while the flexible cap portion It is being manipulated. This cap portion H must be flexible and thus admits the applicater to be grasped substantially as shown in Figure 4, by the thumb and index finger of the hand but, preferably nearer the end wall II, and by squeezing the flexible cap portion I4, the outlet l8, positioned as it is, close to the end of the cap portion, will be enlarged or fully opened allowing an initial flow of some volume of liquid, or, after the applicator has been closed by the drying of the liquid thereon,.the outlet may be reopened by such manipulation. Then, the thumb and index finger may travel up the cap portion l4 and hold the applicator substantially as shown in Figure 4, with a suflicient pressure upon the flexible cap portion to provide for a suitable flow of the liquid, which flow will not be quite as great, since the outlet will not be opened as wide as when the cap portion is squeezed closely adjacent the outlet. However, the flow can be regulated somewhat according to the pressure applied to the cap portion when the thumb and finger squeeze it as shown in Figure 4. Due to the rigid portion 23 extending into the reservoir 22, the side wall ii of the cap portion 14 cannot be so squeezed that opposite sides will meet and cut off the flow of the liquid 0.

As the liquid C leaves the outlet II, it will be guided to the bristles 22 by the projection 2i and will not drip in a direction away from the bristles.

The liquid-coated bristles may now be brushed over the nails, applying the liquid C thereto and, since the flow of liquid may be readily varied, the user will quickly be able to learn how much of a pressure to apply to the cap portion ll in order to eject sufiicient liquid to apply a coating desired.

Because of the viscosity of the liquid 0 and its rapidity in drying, the flexibility of the cap portion it allows the rubber thimble referred to, housing the rigid portion 23, to oscillate to some extent and agitate the liquid at the outlet end of the applicator so that there is less tendency of the liquid there to become more viscous due to the entrance of air into the receptacle 21, re-

placing the volume of liquid C ejected from the applicator.

Various changes may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the oi the following claims. What-jis claimedis:

. l.'In'a;reser,voir-containing liquid applicator,

--"a tubular portion of rigid material closed at one end and provided with a hollow cap portion at its otherend, said cap portion being of flexible material and having a restricted outlet, said cap portion extending a substantial distance beyond said last named end of said tubular portion, applicator means carried by said cap portion closely adjacent said outlet, and extending outward-- .ly from said cap portion, and combined drip- 'preventing and guide means for said liquid, in-

cluding'a baiiie extending from the exterior surface of said cap portion adjacent said outlet, and with said outlet between said bail'le and said applicator means, said baiile extending toward said applicator means.

2. In a hand applicator for a viscous liquid, an elongated hollow body portion having a side wall and end walls, providing a reservoir for said liquid, and provided with a restricted outlet through one of said end walls, said last named end wall and a section of said side wall adjacent said last named end wall being of flexible material, a thimble of flexible material carried by said flexible end wall, said thimble projecting into said reservoir, being spaced from the side wall of said body portion and having a mouth extending through said flexible end wall, an applicator means, including a rigid portion and a flexible portion gripped by and extending from said rigid portion, said rigid portion being gripped by the wall of said thimble, and said flexible portion extending outwardly from said flexible end wall, said restricted outlet being disposed closely adjacent said mouth whereby, because said thimble and said end wall are of flexible material and said thimble is spaced from said side wall, said thimble may oscillate while gripping said rigid portion.

3. In a hand applicator for a viscous liquid,

an elongated hollow body portion having a side wall and end walls, providing a reservoir for said liquid, and provided with a restricted outlet through one of said end walls, said last named end wall and a section of said side wall adjacent said last named end wall being of flexible material, a thimble of flexible material carried by said flexible end wall and projecting into said reservoir, being spaced from the side wall of said body portion and having an imperforate inner end, said thimble having a mouth extending through said flexible end wall, and applicator means, including a portion gripped by the wall of said thimble and extending into said thimble to adjacent said closed inner end, and a portion extending outwardly from said flexible end wall, said restricted outlet being disposed closely plicator means carried by said cap portion closely adjacent said outlet, and extending outwardly from said cap portion, and combined drip-preventing and guide means for said liquid, including a baflle extending from the exterior surface of said cap portion adjacent said outlet, and with said outlet between said .baille and said fl plicator means, said bafiie extending toward that portion of said applicator means which projects outwardly beyond said cap portion.

5. In a reservoir-containing liquid applicator, a tubular portion of rigid material closed at one end and provided with a hollow cap portion at its other end, said cap portion being of flexible material and having a restricted outlet, said cap portion extending a substantial distance beyond said last named end of said tubular portion, ap-

plicator means carried by said cap portion closei applicator means, said baflle extending toward.

that portion of said applicator means which projects outwardly beyond said cap portion, said baille being or less width than the greatest diameter of said cap portion.

6. In a reservoir-containing liquid applicator, a tubular portion of rigid material closed at-one end and provided with a hollow cap portion at its other end, said cap portion being of flexible material and having a restricted outlet, said cap portion extending a substantial distance beyond said last named end of said tubular portion, ap-

plicator means carried by said cap portion closely adiacent said outlet, and extending outwardly from said cap portion, said outlet being disposed 'wholly to one side of said applicator means of said cap portion adjacent saidoutlet, and

with said outlet between said baflle and said applicator means, said baflle extending toward saidapplicator means,

CARL C. HOFFMAN, JR. 

